ManeetFF Dancing Frm The Ashes link on pg146 - Page 32

Originally posted by: rahmona_pakswe

Amruta! 🤗 Missed you!

The update was fab. Loved the way Geet answared Maan. 😆 Way to go! 👍🏼

Also liked how you wrote from both Maan's and Vicky's perspective. It's interesting to see how both react regarding their new jobs.

I completely understood all the different dance forms because you wrote in a way that made it easy to understand. Also I have seen numerous dance shows on TV so I'm quite familiar with the different dance styles.

Chapter 28: Who's afraid of Geet Handa!

Maan was annoyed. Nobody had dared to mess with him ' it had been years since anyone had been so audacious in front of him. And the irritation in him threatened to explode. Who the hell did she think she was?? How dare she behave in such a manner??

He watched now through the one way mirror as she taught a complicated step to a student. The student seemed to cower in front of her, as Geet corrected her stance. He saw her relax once Geet had left her side.

Over the next couple of weeks, Maan observed the entire troupe. They all seemed to gel well, but what was evident was that the dancers and the troupe would steer clear of Geet and vice versa. She never tried to interact with the others, nor did she avoid them. It wasn't like they hated each other or any sort of rivalry. She just didn't bother with any sort of interaction. The only person who she actually had any interaction with was Nida and that too was monosyllabic, as Nida mimed with sign language. Still, she seemed to be putting an effort in doing even that.

Geet walked quickly to her jeep. It was late in the evening. She sat in silence for a minute and then started the car. She drove quickly as she knew her way well. She could drive in her sleep. On reaching the destination; a building of flats, she walked up quickly. She put the key to the lock with a practiced air. It wouldn't budge. She tried again and then banged the door in frustration. It was opened suddenly by a man in a vest.

Geet stumbled behind, startled by the sudden appearance.

'Yes?',, he asked eyebrows raised?

Geet looked at him, shocked. Her eyes flicked to the number of the flat on the door and then she looked around to check if she was on the correct floor.

He still stood looking at her.

''This f-f-flat was empty,'' she stuttered.

''Yes it was just yesterday that we shifted. If you want something, you need to talk to the landlord. He's on the 1^st floor, 2^nd flat.'' He added helpfully.

She didn't wait to listen, anger rising in her chest . She pounded on the door of the landlord.

The moment he opened she shouted at him.

''How dare you let that family into his flat?? Why did you allow it??''

He looked at her puzzled. ''Madam, the rent on that flat hadn't been paid in two months. And that family was in need of a place to stay. They also paid extra. ''

''So why didn't you ask for me for it? Didn't you know I came here every night? I would've paid the rent, dammit!!''

''You came here every night? But there was no one else in the flat. Only a bunch of some boy's stuff. And As far as I know, the boy is dead. This flat was in the name of some Colonel Chopra...and I couldn't get in touch with him.''

Geet looked at him frustrated and then punched the wall close to him. He jumped back in shock. He was a short fat man, with a pleasant face. He behaviour and the desperation in her eyes melted any antagonism he had in him.

''Madam, you come in and have some water. Come come...'', he invited smilingly.

''No!!'' She stopped him. ''Where are all his things from the flat?'' She blinked several times hide the tears.

''In the storage room. Come, I'll hand them over. They're taking up unnecessary space, anyway.'' He led the way to the last flat. All of Nik's things had been stacked up neatly. Geet took the landlord's help and carefully carried them to the jeep. He thanks her and made his way back to his flat.

Geet drove to a nearby car park. Only when she had stopped did she let the tears loose. That flat had been her only solace. The only place filled with memories of him. It still had his fragrance in it. The place it had all begun. After his death she had spent numerous nights in his bed, feeling him around her, dreaming of him, escaping the pain for a bit. She never had the nightmares here. At home she dreamt of him in the hospital almost every night. She felt betrayed. Why was it that life was doing this to her? What had she done to have all her loved ones taken away from her. Nik! ' he was her life...the only reason she never contemplated suicide was cuz Nik had once said in a passing moment that he'd never commit suicide. He was stronger than that. But, it was all the more harder. She didn't feel strong at all. It felt like the world was squeezing itself around her all the time.

She did continue to dance ' it had been his dream more than hers. It was her tribute to him ' to all he was in her life. She could never do this to him. But what was the point when he himself wasn't around! The zing was missing. She no longer did it for the people who were watching. She still loved it no doubt, but it was painful now.

It had days since she had eaten a proper meal. She tried to act normal for her family, eat as much as she could, she had sent Sid and Mayank back to their studies by force ' trying to make them believe she was ok; in control of her life. Nobody believed her. But , they listened nevertheless. The Geet that had arisen after Nik's death was far different from the Geet she used to be. While she was more in control of her life, it was highly unlikely that she would ever revert to being the Geet she used to be!

But getting used to the continuous surprises thrown at her were not possible. She wished there was one place she could go where she could just stay with Nik's memories. Be lost in that long gone world. Where she need not pretend to be normal, to be alive. Where she could cry her eyes out or sit listless without eyes worrying about her, avoiding her or worse ' pitying her.

Maan sped up the grand staircase of the mansion. He hurried towards Vicky's room.

He'd had a bizarre day. He had been involved in a conversation in whch he had not been able to understand anything the person opposite said. He wondered if Vicky knew how to interpret sign language and if he did, how and when did he learn. Nida had been explaining some problems to him and he hadn't comprehended a single thing ' that is, until Zaakhir had come to the rescue. Mostly, Zaakhir was her voice. He even finished some of her sentences before she finished miming them. But Maan knew that he couldn't always depend on somebody to translate for him. Wasn't there any online video teaching him? Vicky must have learnt through Zaakhir ' they had been friends for ages now. He didn't think Vicky would follow staid methods like reading a book or watching a video.

But he, Maan was more independent than that. And he couldn't expect Vicky to back him up with that, now that he was heading Khurana Constructions. That reminded him; he had to find out how the new Noida project was doing. He and Vicky had discussed the pros and cons of the latest clauses over a game of Half-Life on the PSP...he wondered what the clients would've thought had they seen him playing a videogame , discussing business strategies with his brother. He had let Vicky take the decision, but he didn't know what that was.

He entered the room only to find Vicky sprawled on the bed in his office clothes ' fast asleep. He hadn't even taken off his shoes. A tender smile lit up Maan's face, as he took off Vicky's shoes and loosened his tie. He threw a blanket over him, switched on the air conditioning and was about to walk out, when his eyes fell on the book rack. It had the words SIGN in bold letters and the picture of a hand doing an action. He chuckled to himself as he picked it up and left the room.

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Teaser:

Meera stroked her hand across Ajay's head as he slept. There was a serene look on his face. A gentle wind wafted through the window and Ajay turned towards her and hugged her hand. She sighed and pulled him closer.

Ajay was her only source of comfort. She never thought she could be there for anybody - ever again. But Ajay had made her realize the value of people through his sweet innocent nature. She knew she didn't love anybody in the world, as much as she loved him. It was strange how people who were thoroughly unconnected with each other, could become so close.

She had found him as a small kid running around on the pavement outside her flat. On finding that he was a street urchin, she had brushed him off...Until the day she had seen him collect waste paper and old pencils and struggle to hold the pencil and scribble. He heart had gone out to him. She had beckoned him and had gifted him a book and a pencil set. The rewarding smile had been just the thing to melt her heart.